Sorry if stupid - how do I video chat with 17" UMBP???

[Egil]

Why is iChat telling me: "This computer does not support video conferencing"? I'm trying to video chat with a friend through AIM, through iChat. My apologies if this is a stupid question. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[alphaod]

What kind of internet connection do you have? How fast is it?

 

[NightSailor]

Why is iChat telling me: "This computer does not support video conferencing"? I'm trying to video chat with a friend through AIM, through iChat. My apologies if this is a stupid question. Any help would be appreciated!

I don't remember this all that well because I don't use it much. Here is what I remember.

You need to set up an AOL account (bad idea) or better yet a .mac account (good idea). This is simply a name for people to find you that you share with the people you want to chat with.

Then start your iChat. The sound settings in iChat can cause some grief because they dominate over the system sound settings. Use the iChat sound settings.

iChat has some cool effects. But you need a plain wall for a background or it doesn't work so well. I prefer Skype. Try them both.

You will need to play around with the controls in iChat and eventually you will figure it out. Good luck!

 

[harry454]

check the connection doctor when trying to do video to chat, and see if it picks up your isight which it should, unless faulty

 

[Egil]

Thanks for the advice!

I'm without an ethernet cable for a few days, so I'm using my university's wireless network. I did a speed test, here are the results:

Download Speed: 5494 kbps (686.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 7905 kbps (988.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

 

[Repo]

check the connection doctor when trying to do video to chat, and see if it picks up your isight which it should, unless faulty

That's good advice. You can also test the camera by going into Photo Booth.

 

[Repo]

Thanks for the advice!

I'm without an ethernet cable for a few days, so I'm using my university's wireless network. I did a speed test, here are the results:

Download Speed: 5494 kbps (686.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 7905 kbps (988.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

Your upload is higher than your download. n'uff said.

 

[Egil]

Yep, the camera in Photo Booth is working fine.

EDIT: Ah, so that's it? My upload speed being higher than my download speed is what's preventing it?

 

[r.j.s]

EDIT: Ah, so that's it? My upload speed being higher than my download speed is what's preventing it?

No, they are both fast enough. It's just unusual, that's all.

 

[acfusion29]

Thanks for the advice!

I'm without an ethernet cable for a few days, so I'm using my university's wireless network. I did a speed test, here are the results:

Download Speed: 5494 kbps (686.8 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 7905 kbps (988.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

It's your university that's blocking it out. I have trouble doing video on iChat with my cousin from Buffalo, but Skype it works fine.

 

[Minimoose 360]

Weird. I'm on my college's network and I can't get iChat to work either. I've changed all the bandwidth settings etc. but nothing is working. I can't video chat, screen share, or even use audio.

The connection is more than adequate. Any suggestions? Should I just go yell at IT?

 

[inigel]

Maybe your college has blocked the video chat ports on its network? My school and university in Australia did that.

 

[joseph87]

Yeah, can't use Adium at my school... I just log into meebo.com. Can't video chat on there but you can just use the same old stuff.

 

[alphaod]

Some universities block iChat video.